Sara J. Paton, Ph.D.
Sara Paton, Ph.D., is an Associate Professor of epidemiology in the Department of Population and Public Health Sciences. Dr. Paton is the Vice-Chair of the Population and Public Health Sciences Department and Director of the Master of Public Health Program. She teaches epidemiology, community health assessment, and guest lectures in a variety of courses. She is also the Director of the Applied Practice Experience (APE) and the Population Health Concentration. Dr. Paton has conducted research in several areas, including maternal and child health, emergency preparedness, nutrition, animal science and pharmacology/toxicology. Her maternal and child health research interests include infant mortality, breastfeeding, low birth weight, fetal alcohol spectrum disorders, breast cancer, and health disparities/equity.
Dr. Paton has been at Wright State since 2001, initially in a post-doc appointment in the Department of Pharmacology and Toxicology, before becoming a faculty member of the Department of Community Health in 2004. In 2015 she became the Director of the Mater of Public Health Program. Dr. Paton completed her Ph.D. at the University of Kentucky in 2001 specializing in nutrition. She received a M.S. in Animal Science at Angelo State University, and a B.S. in Biomedical Science and Animal Science at Texas A&M University.
Courses
- Epidemiology
- Community Health Assessment
- Applied Practic Experienc
- Maternal and Child Health
Research Interests
- Maternal and Child Health issues—Low Birth Weight, Infant Mortality, Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders
- Chronic Diseases--Breast Cancer
- Health Equity
- Epidemiology
- Community Assessment
Active Projects
- Regional Community Health Assessment/Community Health Needs Assessment
- National Institute for Equity in Birth Outcomes
- Infant Mortality Response Initiative
- Infant Mortality Prevention, Hawthorne Landing Apartments
Education History
Post-Doc Pharmacology and Toxicology, Wright State University, 2001-4
Ph.D., Animal Science/Nutrition, University of Kentucky, 2001
M.S., Animal Science/Nutrition, Angelo State University, 1996
B.S., Biomedical Science and Animal Science at Texas A&M University, 1993
Service
SERVICE
University Committee Position Dates
Department of Population and Public Health Sciences (DPPHS) Faculty Member 2004–present
Human Center for Innovation Member 2009–2015
Graduate Faculty, WSU Member 2011–present
Delta Omega Public Health Honor Society Vice-President 2011–present
Master of Public Health Program (MPH) Director 2015-present
Biostatistics and Epidemiology Division, DPPHS Director 2016-present
MPH Advisory Board Chair 2015-present
MPH Admissions Committee Chair 2015-present
MPH Curriculum Committee Member 2015-present
BSOM CME Committee Member 2018-present
National Committee Position Dates
Maternal Child Health Epidemiology Committee, Center for Member 2009–2014
Disease Control and Prevention
National Center for Medical Readiness Member 2009–present
Preventing Substance Exporsure in Pregancy Collaborative Co-lead of Dayton 2010-2012
National Institute for Equity in Birth Outcomes—CityMatCH Co-lead of Dayton 2013-present
CME Accreditation Committee, Boonshoft School of Medicine Member 2017-present
State Committee Position Dates
Ohio Infant Mortality Task Force Member 2009–2010
Ohio Collaborative to Prevent Infant Mortality Member 2010–present
Ohio Department of Health, Health Assessment Advisory Member 2010-2018
Ohio Equity Institute Travel Team 2013-2016
Ohio Department of Health Cancer Group Member 2010-2018
Ohio Alliance for Innovation in Public Health Executive Team 2018-present
Ohio Public Health Association-Epidemiology Section Member 2018-present
Ohio Journal of Public Health-Editorial Board Member 2018-present
Regional Committee Position Dates
Perinatal Data Users Consortium, Region II Member / Evaluator 2004–2011
Regional Epidemiology Disease Specialists Southwest Member 2004–2008
Ohio
Regional Medical Response System steering committee Member 2005–2015
March of Dimes Program and Grant Review Grant Reviewer 2005–2015
Perinatal Nurse Managers Association Evaluator 2007–2012
Local Committee Position Dates
Montgomery County Strategic Planning Committee Researcher 2015-2017
United Way of Montgomery County Member 2015-present
Low Birth Weight Task Force, Montgomery County Member 2004–2012
Breastfeeding Coalition of Dayton, Ohio Member 2006–present
Health Caucus Consortium: Montgomery County Member 2006–2007
Incident Management Team, Public Health—Dayton & Member 2004–2018
Montgomery County
Montgomery County Fetal Alcohol Spectrum Disorders Task Member / Evaluator 2008–2017
Force
Montgomery County Child Fatality Review Board Member 2008–2018
Infant Mortality Coalition, Montgomery County Member 2012-2018
Child Fatality Review Board Member 2015-2018
Community Health Improvement Plan Steering Committee 2015-present
Community Overdose Action Team, Montgomery County Steering Committee 2016-present
Community Overdose Action Team, Montgomery County Data Committee 2016-present
Ethics Board, Public Health – Dayton & Montgomery County Member 2017-2018
Wright State University Breastfeeding Institute Member 2017-present
Project SAVE Advisory Board Evaluator 2017-present
Publications
S. Silverstein, M. Orlowski and S. Paton. 2022. Pandemic Response Across Ohio’s Public Universities: Novel Approaches, Emergent Challenges and Future Opportunities. Journal of American College Health, accepted and pending.
D. Baker and S. Paton. 2021. Leveraging Local and Regional Partners to Implement Hospital Closed Point of Dispensing Sites. Ohio Journal of Public Health, 4(1): 45-52.
Brenna C. Heinle, Tim N. Crawford, Sara J. Paton, and Naila Khalil. 2019. Association of Perfluoroalkyl Substance with Lung Function in the US Population. Ohio Journal of Public Health, 2(2): 30-36.
J.A. Embree, T.N. Crawford and S.J. Paton. 2018. Suicide Rates in Rural Ohio: The Role of Population Density, Social Association, and Healthcare Access. Ohio Journal of Public Health, 1(1): 1-6.
Okeke, R., S.J. Paton, L.J. Smith, and N.Khalil. 2017. Association of Maternal Demographics With Breastfeeding of Low Birth Weight Infants in Ohio in 2012. Clinical Lactation, 8(1), 22-27.
Tyler, M., N. Khalil, and S. Paton. 2015. Increasing Knowledge with Food Safety Training at Public Health - Dayton & Montgomery County. Food Protection Trends. 35(4): 262-269.
Mauck, B.S., S.J. Paton, J.B. Lucot, R.D. Grubbs. 2010. Cholinesterase inhibitors and stress: Effects on brain muscarinic receptor density in mice. Neurotoxicology, 31(5): 461-467.
Paton, S.J., and C. Croom. 2010. An overview of fetal alcohol spectrum disorders for physicians. Primary Care Reports, 16(1): 1-8.
Cote, B.L., D. Bejarno, V. Koob, M. McLean, and S.J. Paton. 2009. Socio-demographic characteristics of pregnant abortion-minded clients versus pregnant non-abortion-minded clients at a pregnancy crisis center. Persona y BioŽtica, 13(33): 137-51.
Eisenhauer, E., D.E. Uddin, P. Albers, S. Paton, R.L. Stoughton. 2009 Nov 12. Establishment of a low birth weight registry and initial outcomes. Maternal Child Health Journal [Epub ahead of print] PMID: 19908132.
Mauck, B.S., S.J. Paton, J.B. Lucot, R.D. Grubbs. 2008. Subcutaneous exposure to carbamate acetylcholinesterase inhibitors does not induce apoptosis in mouse brain. Journal of Medical Chemical, Biological, and Radiological Defense, 6.
Dubovicky, M., J.R. Wells, M. Key, M. Morris, S.J. Paton, J.B. Lucot. 2007. Diurnal behavioral and endocrine effects of chronic stress in mice. Neuroendocrinology Letters, 28(6): 846-853.
Dubovicky M., S. Paton, M. Morris, M. Mach, J.B. Lucot. 2007. Effects of combined exposure to pyridostigmine bromide and shaker stress on acoustic startle response, pre-pulse inhibition and open field behavior in mice. Journal of Applied Toxicology, 27: 276-283.
Mach, M., R.D. Grubbs, W.R. Price, S.J. Paton and J. B. Lucot. 2004. Behavioral changes after acetylcholinesterase inhibition with physostigmine in mice. Pharmacology Biochemistry and Behavior, 79: 533-40.
Richards, C.J., K.C. Swanson, S.J. Paton, D.L. Harmon, G.B. Huntington. 2003. Pancreatic exocrine secretion in steers infused post-ruminally with casein and cornstarch. Journal of Animal Science, 81: 1051-1056.
Swanson, K.C., D.L. Harmon, K.A. Jacques, B.T. Larson, C.J. Richards, D.W. Bohnert, and S.J. Paton. 2000. Efficacy of chromium yeast supplementation for growing beef steers. Animal Feed Science and Technology, 86: 95.
Bohnert, D.W., B.T. Larson, S.J. Lewis, C.J. Richards, K.C. Swanson, D.L. Harmon, and G.E. Mitchell, Jr. 1999. Net nutrient flux in visceral tissues of lambs fed diets differing in supplemental nitrogen source. Journal of Animal Science, 77: 2545.
Presentations
Neeley, S., S.E. Ellison, and S.J. Paton. 2011. The Influence of school eating environment on children’s eating behaviors: an examination of the SNDA-III. Maternal and Child Health Epidemiology Conference, New Orleans.
Kohake, K, S.J. Paton, and R. Heis. 2011. The relationship of maternal age, trimester of entry into prenatal care, maternal postpartum depression, and race with birthweight of infants born in Cincinnati, Ohio. City Match Conference, San Francisco.
Neeley, S., S.E. Ellison, and S.J. Paton. 2011. The Influence of school eating environment on children’s eating behaviors: an examination of the SNDA-III. City Match Conference, San Francisco.
Kohake, K, S.J. Paton, and R. Heis. 2011. The relationship of maternal age, trimester of entry into prenatal care, maternal postpartum depression, and race with birthweight of infants born in Cincinnati, Ohio. Ohio Public Health Combined Conference.
Adkins, S., and S.J. Paton. 2010. Suicide and relative risk for nonmetropolitan U.S. residents. Ohio Public Health Combined Conference.
Jasin, L., S.J. Paton, and M.A. Swank. 2009. A prematurity education program for home health care providers. City Match Conference, Louisiana.
Arestides, C., D.E. Uddin, and S.J. Paton. 2009. Infant feeding choices and maternal infant interactions of low income, nurse home visited women. City Match Conference, Louisiana.
Eisenhauer, E., D. Uddin, P. Albers, S.J. Paton, and R. Stoughton. 2008. Establishment of a low birth weight registry and initial outcomes. Maternal Child Health Epidemiology Conference, Georgia.
Royer, L., P. Albers, and S.J. Paton. 2007. Identification of modifiable factors associated with low birth weight infants. City Match Conference, Colorado.
Royer, L., P. Albers and S.J. Paton. 2007. Identification of modifiable factors associated with low birth weight infants. American Public Health Association Conference, Washington, D.C.
Paton, S.J., R. Stoughton, P. Albers, E. Vest, S. Choliere, and M.A. Swank. 2006. Education of women with previous preterm delivery, a survey of home health care providers, Montgomery County, Ohio. City Match Conference, Rhode Island.
Mach, M, R.D. Grubbs, W.A. Price, S.J. Paton, and J. B. Lucot. 2004. Behavioral effects of subclinical doses of sarin alone and combined with stress or pyridostigmine in mice. 9th Interdisciplinary Slovak-Czech Toxicological Conference. Slovakia.
Adkins, S., and S.J. Paton. 2010. Suicide and relative risk for nonmetropolitan U.S. residents. Ohio Public Health Combined Conference, Columbus, Ohio.
Eisenhauer, E. D.E. Uddin, P. Albers, S. Paton, R.L. Stoughton. 2009. The factor of maternal stress In the delivery of a low birth weight infant. Ohio March of Dimes Conference.
Paton, S.J., C. Schlorman, and K. Aston. 2008. The Perinatal Periods of Risk (PPOR) approach: An analysis of feto-infant deaths in Montgomery and Clark Counties, Ohio. Ohio Public Health Epidemiology Conference.
Cote, B.L., V. Koob, M. McLean, and S.J. Paton. 2008. Retrospective comparative analysis of the socio-demographic characteristics of pregnant abortion-minded clients versus pregnant non-abortion- minded clients in a crisis pregnancy center in Montgomery County Ohio. Ohio Public Health Epidemiology Conference.
Cote, B.L., V. Koob, M. McLean, and S.J. Paton. 2007. Retrospective comparative analysis of the socio-demographic characteristics of pregnant abortion-minded clients versus pregnant non-abortion- minded clients in a crisis pregnancy center in Montgomery County Ohio. Ohio Public Health Combined Conference, Columbus, Ohio.
Royer, L, P. Albers and S.J. Paton. 2007. Identification of modifiable factors associated with low birth weight infants. Ohio Public Health Combined Conference, Columbus, Ohio.
Professional Affiliations/Memberships
- American Public Health Association
- Ohio Public Health Association
- National Association of County and City Health Officials
- Delta Omega Public Health Honor Society
- Council of State and Territorial Epidemiologists
